Encanto is a 2021 American animated musical fantasy comedy film made by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It was directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, and written by Charise Castro Smith and Jared Bush. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the original songs, and Germaine Franco composed the film’s score. The movie features voices from Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, Carolina Gaitán, Diane Guerrero, and Wilmer Valderrama. The story follows the Madrigal family, a Colombian family across many generations, led by a family leader. All of her children and grandchildren, except Mirabel Madrigal, receive magical gifts from a miracle. These gifts help people in their rural community called the Encanto. When Mirabel learns the family is losing their magic, she tries to find the reason and save her family and home.

The film first showed at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on November 3, 2021. It was released in the United States on November 24, 2021, and played in theaters for 30 days. It was shown in RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, 2D, and D-BOX formats. Although it did not make much money at the box office, earning $261.3 million worldwide with a budget of $120–150 million, it became popular after being released on Disney+ on December 24, 2021. Critics praised the film for its characters, music, animation, voice acting, emotional depth, and cultural accuracy. Reviews highlighted the use of magic realism and the theme of family struggles across generations. Many publications called Encanto a cultural phenomenon, and Disney officials began calling it a "franchise" within a year of its release. The film was nominated for three awards at the 94th Academy Awards, winning Best Animated Feature. It also received other honors, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature and the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film.

Merchandise related to the film was very successful, and its soundtrack became a big hit. It reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and UK Compilation Albums charts. The songs "We Don't Talk About Bruno" and "Surface Pressure" were the most popular, with "We Don't Talk About Bruno" topping the US Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart for several weeks. A theme park attraction based on the film will open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2027.

Plot

A war forces young couple Alma and Pedro Madrigal to leave their home village in Colombia with their baby triplets, Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno. Pedro is killed, but the candle Alma carries gains magical power that drives away attackers and creates Casita, a house that can think and speak. This house is located in a magical place surrounded by mountains. Forty years later, a village grows strong because of the candle's power, which gives special abilities and matching bedrooms to each Madrigal descendant when they turn five. These abilities help the villagers. Julieta's youngest daughter, Mirabel, is the only Madrigal who does not receive a gift. Bruno was blamed for his ability to see the future, which caused his disappearance.

Ten years after Mirabel was not given a gift, Pepa's youngest son, Antonio, is given the ability to talk to animals. During a celebration, Mirabel sees Casita cracking and the candle's flame flickering. She goes downstairs to check and tells her family, but Casita fixes itself before others notice the cracks. That night, she hears Alma worry about the candle's fading power. Mirabel decides to fix Casita's magic herself. Her older sister Luisa, who has superhuman strength, tells Mirabel she feels overwhelmed by always helping villagers with her strength, which is weakening. Luisa also shares that she heard Bruno had a vision about this before he disappeared, and his room, inside a forbidden tower in Casita, might hold the answer to the fading magic.

Mirabel finds a cave in Bruno's room. This cave holds pieces of his last vision made of green glass. Most family members warn Mirabel not to look further, but she puts the pieces together into a tablet and sees herself with Casita cracking behind her. Mirabel's father Agustín accidentally finds this and tells Mirabel to keep the vision secret, but they are overheard by Pepa's daughter Dolores, who can hear things clearly. Mirabel's oldest sister Isabela, who can make plants grow instantly, is set to marry the Madrigals' neighbor, Mariano Guzmán. During Mariano's proposal at a dinner, Dolores shares Mirabel's discovery. Casita cracks again, and the family loses control of their abilities.

Mirabel follows rats carrying the vision pieces to a hidden passage behind a portrait, where she finds Bruno. He explains he never left Casita and that the vision shows two possible futures: Mirabel saving or destroying Casita, which made him believe she holds the key to Casita's magic. To protect Mirabel, Bruno destroyed the vision and stayed hidden. At Mirabel's request, Bruno creates another vision showing Mirabel and Isabela hugging after fixing their relationship, which strengthens the candle.

Mirabel tries to apologize to Isabela, who admits she feels trapped by her need to be perfect and does not want to marry Mariano. Mirabel helps Isabela use her powers more freely, and they become friends again. When Alma arrives, she accuses Mirabel of causing the family's problems out of anger for not having a gift. Mirabel tells Alma her harmful expectations are the real reason Casita is weakening. During their argument, Casita breaks completely, and the candle goes out, leaving the Madrigals powerless. Mirabel runs away in sadness.

Alma finds Mirabel crying by the river where Pedro was killed and the miracle began. Alma realizes her focus on keeping the magic alive made her ignore how her pressure hurt the family. She apologizes, reconciles with Mirabel, and reunites with Bruno. Together, they return to the village and gather the other Madrigals to rebuild Casita. The townspeople join in, restoring the family's abilities and reviving Casita. The Madrigals celebrate and take a new family photo including Bruno and Mirabel.

Voice cast

• Stephanie Beatriz voices Mirabel Madrigal, a 15-year-old girl and the movie's main character. Mirabel is the youngest granddaughter of Alma, the youngest niece of Bruno, Félix, and Pepa, the younger sister of Luisa and Isabela, the youngest daughter of Julieta and Agustín, and the cousin of Camilo, Antonio, and Dolores. Director and co-writer Jared Bush described Mirabel as "imperfect and weird and quirky, but also deeply emotional and incredibly empathetic." Noemi Josefina Flores voices a 5-year-old version of Mirabel.
• María Cecilia Botero voices "Abuela" Alma Madrigal, Mirabel's 75-year-old grandmother and the family leader. In the film, Alma is called "Abuela," which means "grandmother" in Spanish. Olga Merediz provides Abuela's singing voice. Botero plays the same role in the Spanish version of the film, while Yaneth Waldman provides her singing voice in that version.
• John Leguizamo voices Bruno Madrigal, Mirabel's 50-year-old uncle who is treated differently by the family. Bruno can see and create visions of the future. He also has two other personalities, Hernando and Jorge.
• Mauro Castillo voices Félix Madrigal, Mirabel's uncle and Pepa's husband. Jared Bush said Félix is "just there to have a good time." Castillo plays the same role in the Spanish version of the film.
• Jessica Darrow voices Luisa Madrigal, Mirabel's 19-year-old older sister. Luisa has superhuman strength and is the tallest family member. Co-writer and co-director Charise Castro Smith described Luisa as someone who "[carries] all the burdens and never [complains]."
• Angie Cepeda voices Julieta Madrigal, Mirabel's 50-year-old mother and Agustín's wife. Julieta can heal people with her cooking. Cepeda plays the same role in the Spanish and Italian versions of the film.
• Carolina Gaitán voices Pepa Madrigal, Mirabel's 50-year-old aunt and Félix's wife. Pepa controls the weather with her emotions, often causing rain and storms. Gaitán plays the same role in the Spanish version of the film.
• Diane Guerrero voices Isabela Madrigal, Mirabel's 21-year-old oldest sister. Isabela can make flowers and plants bloom anywhere. Director Byron Howard described Isabela as "perfect" and "a success."
• Wilmer Valderrama voices Agustín Madrigal, Mirabel's father and Julieta's husband. Jared Bush described Agustín as "accident-prone," as seen in scenes where he has accidents involving bees.
• Rhenzy Feliz voices Camilo Madrigal, Pepa and Félix's 15-year-old older son, Dolores and Antonio's brother, and Mirabel's older cousin. Camilo can change his shape. Charise Castro Smith said Camilo is someone who "doesn't quite know who they are yet."
• Ravi Cabot-Conyers voices Antonio Madrigal, Pepa and Félix's five-year-old younger son, Dolores and Camilo's brother, and Mirabel's younger cousin. Antonio can talk to and understand animals. He looks up to Mirabel and considers her a big sister.
• Adassa voices Dolores Madrigal, Pepa and Félix's 21-year-old daughter, Camilo and Antonio's older sister, and Mirabel's oldest cousin. Dolores has superhuman hearing.
• Maluma voices Mariano Guzman, Isabela's fiancé. Maluma plays the same role in the Spanish version of the film.

Additionally, Rose Portillo voices Señora Guzman, Mariano's mother and the Madrigal family's neighbor. Alyssa Bella Candiani, Noemi Josefina Flores, Paisley Herrera, Brooklyn Skylar Rodriguez, and Ezra Rudulph voice the town's children. Juan Castano voices Osvaldo, a donkey delivery man who Bruno predicted would grow a gut, which happened. Sarah-Nicole Robles voices Señora Ozma, a townsperson who once asked Luisa to reroute the river. Hector Elias voices Old Arturo, a townsperson who asks Alma about townspeople becoming anxious about fading magic. Alan Tudyk provides the vocal effects of Pico, a toucan described by Jared Bush as "clueless." Animator Jorge E. Ruiz Cano voices the Tiple Ma

Production

During a November 2016 publicity tour for Moana, Miranda said that work on a new animated project started early on, which John Lasseter, who was Disney's chief creative officer at the time, had suggested to Miranda and Howard. Howard and Bush later said that after finishing Zootopia (2016), they wanted their next project to be a musical. This became a Latin American musical after Miranda joined the team. Howard and Bush had previously worked on films about two characters learning about each other, and they wanted to try something completely different. The three men talked about their shared experiences of having large families and decided to make a musical film about a large extended family with many main characters.

It took five years to develop the film. During this time, Howard and Bush focused on the theme of perspective, which is about how people see others in their families and how they are seen. They began by writing ideas on a whiteboard. Early in the process, they made three important discoveries about families that became the basis of the film’s story: 1) most people feel their families do not truly understand them, 2) most people keep personal struggles hidden from their families, and 3) most people are unaware that many others in their families feel the same way. Miranda suggested that the wide variety of Latin American music could best capture the complexity of family relationships.

Early in development, the production team spoke with therapists and psychologists. They asked who would be treated best by parents in a four-person family, but all answers were different. Bush said, “It’s about how you see yourself in the family.” The team also talked with family members and Disney Animation employees.

Howard and Bush discussed Latin American culture with Juan Rendon and Natalie Osma, who had worked with them on a documentary about Zootopia. Rendon and Osma were from Colombia and shared their personal experiences with Colombian culture, which led Howard, Bush, and Miranda to focus their research on Colombia. Rendon and Osma became the first of several cultural experts hired by Disney Animation as consultants on the film. These experts formed what Disney called the “Colombian Cultural Trust.”

In 2018, Rendon and Osma traveled to Colombia with Howard, Bush, and Miranda. During their two weeks in the country, they met with architects, chefs, and artisans to learn about Colombian culture. They also visited the Gabriel García Márquez foundation and cities like Bogotá and Cartagena. They found inspiration in small towns such as Salento (known for its terrain) and Barichara (known for its architecture). Bush noted that “every town we visited had a unique personality” because the country’s mountainous terrain divides and isolates communities.

According to Disney fan club publication Disney twenty-three, this isolation inspired the setting of the Madrigals’ home in a “remote ‘encanto’”—a place that is “charmed” or spiritually blessed, where magic and reality blend. Alejandra Espinosa Uribe, a Colombian tourist guide, explained that Colombians live near “sacred lands that feel magical,” and they accept their existence without questioning them.

In Barichara, the team met Espinosa Uribe, who showed them around the town and later helped the film team with cultural accuracy. Uribe inspired parts of the film’s protagonist, Mirabel, including her curly black hair, large glasses, and gestures. The design of Mirabel’s skirt was based on traditional skirts from the Vélez area.

The final version of the film does not clearly show the time period in which it is set, but it was inspired by early-20th-century Colombia. After exploring the 1950s, the directors changed the film’s look to the early 1900s and used a “folkloric Colombian aesthetic.” At the start of the 20th century, Colombia faced the Thousand Days’ War, which caused villages to flee, as shown in the film.

As the film grew more complex—with a large family, many songs, and a rich cultural setting—Howard and Bush realized they needed another screenwriter. They chose Charise Castro Smith because of her experience with magical realism and real-world family relationships. Bush called her a “godsend,” as she helped create a relatable, imperfect character in Mirabel who could connect with many viewers.

From working on Moana, Miranda knew that the film’s protagonist, Moana, originally had eight brothers, which were later removed to simplify the story. Miranda expected Disney Animation to resist having 12 main characters in Encanto, so she wrote the film’s opening song, “The Family Madrigal,” to show that introducing such a large family could work. Because of the film’s 90-minute runtime, the team struggled to make the family feel real and give them meaningful stories.

The crew focused on developing the Madrigal family based on instantly recognizable family archetypes. They worked to show that family members are more complex than simple roles. For example, Isabela and Luisa are based on the “golden child” and “rock” archetypes, respectively. Bush said this method made each character’s magical ability feel connected to their emotions and personality.

Like most Disney films, Encanto went through many changes during development. Some ideas that were not used include:
– A modern woman traveling to another world through a magical doorknob;
– Agustín discovering Encanto and building Casita himself;
– Setting the film in the 1950s with modern fashion and technology;
– Casita reflecting only Alma’s personality;
– A story covering 100 years of the Madrigal family and Casita;
– Mirabel desperately searching for her magical gift;
– Mirabel’s world reflecting her emotions in the first two acts and changing to realistic colors in the third;
– Luisa’s room being made of stone with a hidden “theme park” for fun;
– Isabela having a “dorky” suitor named Bubo from the city.

After the film was released, Bush shared more ideas that were considered but not used, such as Alma giving birth to the triplets at the river during Pedro’s death, Isabela and Mirabel fighting, and Mirabel celebrating her quinceañera.

Soundtrack

In June 2020, Miranda announced publicly that he had started writing the film's music, which would include eight original songs in both Spanish and English. After the film's premiere, he said he had been writing songs for the film from the very beginning. On September 8, 2021, Germaine Franco, who worked together with others to create the music for Coco (2017), began scoring the film.

Encanto was released on November 19, 2021. Like the film, the soundtrack was a big commercial success and reached number one on the US Billboard 200. This made it the first Disney soundtrack since Frozen II (2019) to top the chart. The song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" broke many records and became one of Disney's most successful songs ever. It reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. This was Disney's first number-one song on the US Billboard Hot 100 in the 21st century and its first ever on the UK Singles Chart. As a result, Encanto became the first Disney film to produce both a number-one song and a number-one album.

Release

The first look of the film was shown on December 10, 2020, during Disney's Investor Day. A teaser trailer was released on July 8, 2021, and received praise from internet users because of Luisa's physical appearance, especially her strong muscles; she was called the "Buff Lady." The official trailer was released on September 29, 2021. For its opening weekend, Disney spent $14 million on television advertisements to promote the film, which reached 1.26 billion people. Deadline Hollywood said the marketing did not clearly show differences between the film and other Disney movies, leading some viewers to think it would be similar to Coco. /Film criticized Disney's merchandising, which mostly included Mirabel and Isabela. Many members of the Madrigal family were only available in more expensive merchandise that included the whole family. Since Isabela is seen as the perfect and beautiful sister, the website said the merchandise supports the idea that beauty is a strong marketing tool for young girls.

Disney held the film's world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on November 3, 2021, and a premiere in Colombia at the Teatro Colón in Bogotá on November 23, 2021. The film was released in U.S. theaters on November 24. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it had a 30-day theatrical run before being released on Disney+ on December 24. The film was shown with the short film Far from the Tree. Encanto was released in China on January 7, 2022. It was re-released in theaters on February 16, 2022, after its success on Disney+ and Academy Award nominations. As part of Disney's 100th anniversary, Encanto was re-released in Helios theaters across Poland on October 28, 2023.

Encanto was released on Disney+ on December 24, 2021, and on DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on February 8, 2022. Bonus features include "Let's Talk About Bruno," "Our Casita," "Journey to Colombia," "Familia Lo Es Todo," "A Journey Through Music," and a sing-along version of the movie. The short film Far from the Tree was also released with the film on streaming and physical media.

A company that studies viewing data, Samba TV, reported that 2 million U.S. households watched Encanto during the holiday weekend of December 24–26, 2021. Viewership was especially high in Sacramento (+58%), Seattle (+36%), and Los Angeles (+30%). More households with younger viewers (ages 0–19), female viewers (+9%), and Hispanic viewers (+64%) watched the film compared to the average in the U.S. Nielsen Media Research, which tracks streaming viewership on some U.S. televisions, said Encanto was the most-watched film of 2022, with 27.4 billion minutes viewed—about 269 million full viewings. This was more than twice the total for the second-most-watched film, Turning Red (11.43 billion minutes). Encanto was the second most-streamed film of 2023, with 9.7 billion minutes viewed, and the fifth most-streamed film of 2024, with 6.61 billion minutes viewed. Between January and June 2025, Encanto was watched for 2.620 billion minutes, ranking as the nineteenth most-streamed film in that period. Nielsen later reported that Encanto had been viewed for 29.3 billion minutes between 2020 and 2025, placing it second among the most-streamed films during that time.

Reception

Encanto made $96.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $160.4 million in other countries, for a total of $256.5 million worldwide. Encanto was the top-grossing animated film in 2021 before Sing 2 surpassed it. Considering the film’s production costs, marketing expenses, and the share of ticket sales that go to theaters, Encanto needed to make at least $300 million worldwide to cover its expenses. Despite this, the film became very popular during the 2021 holiday season and saw more success after it was released on Disney+ on December 24, 2021.

In the United States and Canada, Encanto was released at the same time as House of Gucci and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. It was expected to make $35–40 million in its first five days in 3,980 theaters. The film started showing nationwide on November 24, 2021, the day before American Thanksgiving. It earned $7.5 million on its first day, including $1.5 million from previews the day before. Over five days, it made $40.6 million. Of the 3.7 million people who watched it, 52% were Latino and Hispanic, 51% were families, and 62% were female. Though its five-day opening was less than The Good Dinosaur (2015), which made $55.4 million, Encanto had the best opening weekend for an animated film during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In its second weekend, Encanto made $13.1 million, less than The Good Dinosaur ($15.3 million) and Tangled (2010) ($21.6 million), but more than The Princess and the Frog (2009) ($12.1 million). It finished second in its third and fourth weekends, earning $10 million and $6.5 million, respectively. In its fifth weekend, it made $1.8 million and dropped to ninth place. In its sixth weekend, it earned $1.08 million and finished tenth. It left the top ten in its seventh weekend, making $613,501.

Outside the U.S. and Canada, Encanto made $29.3 million in its opening weekend across 47 countries. The top countries in its first five days were France ($3.5 million), Colombia ($2.6 million), the UK ($2.4 million), Korea ($2.2 million), and Italy ($2.1 million). It earned $20.7 million in its second weekend and $13.6 million in its third. In its fourth weekend, it became Colombia’s second-highest-grossing animated film ever. In its fifth weekend, it reached $100 million worldwide outside the U.S. and Canada. It earned $3.5 million in its sixth weekend, $5.8 million in its seventh, and $3.6 million in its eighth. As of January 9, 2022, its largest markets were France ($18.5 million), Colombia ($10.2 million), the UK ($8.8 million), Spain ($7.3 million), and Japan ($6.6 million).

Most people who enjoy modern Disney movies likely enjoy Encanto, as it shares similarities with them. However, some viewers found something unique within its familiar style.

Encanto received praise from critics. CNBC reported that reviewers considered it one of Walt Disney Animation’s best films. On Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 210 critics gave positive reviews, with an average score of 7.5/10. The site’s summary stated, “Encanto’s setting and cultural perspective are new for Disney, but the end result is the same—enchanting, beautifully animated fun for the whole family.” Metacritic gave the film a score of 75 out of 100 based on 41 critics, indicating “generally favorable” reviews. Audiences gave Encanto an average grade of “A” on CinemaScore and an 88% positive score on PostTrak, with 70% saying they would recommend it.

Critics praised the film’s animation, calling it beautiful. Monica Castillo of RogerEbert.com noted that the musical sequences and character rooms showed more artistic creativity than previous Disney films. Peter Travers of Good Morning America called the visuals “miraculous,” while Shreemayee Das of Firstpost described the animation as having “spellbinding intricacy.” Owen Gleiberman of Variety said the film’s visuals had a “vivacious naturalistic glow” that was “nearly psychedelic.” David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter highlighted the film’s colors and designs, including costumes, settings, and Casita. Kristen Lopez of IndieWire called the visuals “stunning and life-like,” and Andrea Towers of IGN said the animation was “beautiful.” Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph was amazed, saying the animation was “dazzling” with “technical effects and creative ideas” that were “unimaginable even a year ago.”

Critics also praised the film’s music, calling it “spellbinding.” Ben Travis of Empire said the songs showed Miranda’s skill in creating “enchanting, wondrous melodies and lyrics.” Richard Roeper and Dann Gire of Chicago Sun-Times and Daily Herald described the music as “infectious and instantly memorable” and “emotionally distilled and verbally nimble.” Adam Graham of The Detroit News agreed, saying the songs “lift [Encanto] to the sky.” Bill Goodykoontz of The Arizona Republic called the music the film’s “peak.” Brian Lowry of CNN shared a similar view. However, some critics, like Kyle Smith of National Review, called the music “thuddingly mediocre,” and Christian Holub of Entertainment Weekly found the songs “unmemorable.” Kaitlyn Booth of Bleeding Cool said the music was “nothing particularly special” and that fewer songs might have helped the film.

Encanto is about more than just representation. The happiness shown in the film is not just escapism—it is defiance. It challenges the idea that Colombians must always be unhappy. It is about thriving despite challenges.

Other media

Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl was a 2022 live musical presented by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It featured some of the film’s cast members performing songs from the movie. The stage show took place on November 11 and 12, 2022, at the Hollywood Bowl. A version of the concert was released on Disney+ on December 28, 2022.

The young adult novel Nightmares and Sueños, written by Alex Segura, is a story that happens before the film. It follows seventeen-year-old Bruno and explains why people do not often talk about him. The book was released on December 3, 2024.

In February 2023, Mirabel was added to Disney Dreamlight Valley as one of the villagers in the game. A small version of Casita, called "Mini Casita," was also included as her home. In the game Disney Magic Kingdoms, Mirabel, Bruno, Isabela, Luisa, and Antonio were added as playable characters during a limited-time event. The event included a storyline set after the film’s events and featured Casita and Isabela’s Room as attractions. Mirabel, Bruno, Isabela, and Luisa also appear as playable characters in the mobile game Disney Heroes: Battle Mode.

On March 21, 2024, Disney announced a new Encanto stage show called ¡Celebración Encanto! The show was originally scheduled to run from June 10 through September 6, 2024, but later became a permanent attraction. It is now held multiple times daily at the CommuniCore Plaza in the World Celebration area of Epcot. The performance includes live appearances by Mirabel and Bruno.

In August 2024, Disney announced the development of an Encanto-themed ride for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The ride is set to open in 2027 as part of a new area called Tropical Americas, which will replace DinoLand U.S.A. The ride will take guests on a tour of Casita on the day of Antonio’s gift ceremony, highlighting his connection with animals. In December 2025, it was announced that the original voice actors from the film will return to voice characters in the ride.

Future

Jared Bush and Charise Castro Smith said they are considering the possibility of a Disney+ series. Bush mentioned he would be pleased to see a show about any family member, and Castro Smith noted that Miranda was interested in creating a show about Dolores. In February 2022, Disney CEO Bob Chapek referred to Encanto as the company's newest franchise during a financial meeting. However, in December 2024, three years after the film's release, Miranda stated, "We have not discussed any Encanto sequels." In March 2025, John Leguizamo reported that plans for a sequel are being considered once the creative team develops a storyline.